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Laiben
Laiben

Missouri-Illinois Railroad

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The Missouri-Illinois Railroad

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The Missouri-Illinois Railroad was a subsidiary of the MoPac with just over 200 miles of track in the two states. The Illinois side primarily moved coal, oil and grain southward to the gulf. This region of Missouri was not quite as fertile as Illinois, but was rich in minerals. Lead and zinc were mined in Missouri's Lead Belt around Bonne Terre and Desloge, while limestone quarries were present around Ste. Genevieve. The limestone was processed for both chemical and agricultural use, much of it moving eastward to Illinois.

My Ste. Genevieve subdivision highlights the river ferry which carried railroad traffic between the two states across the Mississippi River. The sub operates primarily as a switching layout serving several local industries and the Peerless White Lime Company. The mainline is about 90 feet in length with several interchange points to the Frisco, MoPac and the M-I's Bonne Terre sub.

Operations are generally laid back with verbal clearances when needed and mimics the congenial attitude of the prototype's employees.
Layout at a glance

Layout Accessability Information

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Layout is in the basement and accessible via a dedicated outside door - descend stone steps to the side patio and enter door
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Close
Track Plan for the Missouri-Illinois
(click to embiggen)
Layout at a Glance 
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Layout at a glance
  • O scale Proto48
  • Size = 36 x 24 feet
  • Single deck around-the-walls with peninsula
  • Scenery underway, most structures in place
  • Manual throw turnouts
  • Height = 52 inches
  • NCE DCC with radio cabs
  • Diesel: ISE ProtoThrottles
  • Steam: NCE Cab 06er
  • Sound equipped engines
  • Era: generally 1950-60's
  • Car routing: Car cards and waybills
  • Operations run in real time
  • Verbal clearances
  • Detailed layout information online at laiben.com
About the Layout Owner 
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About the Layout Owner
I grew up south of St. Louis in Herculaneum (home of the world's largest lead smelter at the time). Like many kids of the era, we hiked and played around the railroad. The M-I's Bonne Terre sub serviced the smelter and as it coursed southward, ran within a 100 feet of my grandmother's front door (and crossed under the Frisco River sub) in Crystal City. As a teenager, I built my first layout in N scale. Model trains took a backseat to life, and after a 40 year hiatus, I jumped back in with the blessing of my wife (in our household, doing it "for the grandchildren" guarantees enthusiastic approval).

This particular layout was started in 2019 and the pace of construction has picked up considerably since retiring from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City in 2022.
FAQs
Do you really have a Mobile Telephone Museum?
Yes.

Old folks may recognize the vintage Motorola mobile telephones; really old folks may recognize the model which placed the first mobile call in the Uinited States on July 17, 1946 in St. Louis, MO.
Jobs on the Layout 
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Jobs on the Layout
  • Boat job crew (C&E) loads/unloads the car ferry and shoves cuts to Middle Yard
  • If the boat job crew is efficient and traffic is heavy, may be tapped to work an Extra
  • Yardmaster makes and breaks up trains and weighs outgoing loads
  • Local road crew (C&E) works the layout industries and interchanges
  • John Vandenberg switching the boat cuts at the Thomure yard

    John Vandenberg switching the boat cuts at the Thomure yard

  • Train #92 at the bridge awaiting clearance into Middle Yard

    Train #92 at the bridge awaiting clearance into Middle Yard

  • Before entering Shapiro's scrap yard, the conductor will need to open the derail

    Before entering Shapiro's scrap yard, the conductor will need to open the derail

  • Rob Biddison working Middle Yard with his patented 0-5-0 switching procedure, whilst Bill Hirt and John Vandenberg look on

    Rob Biddison working Middle Yard with his patented 0-5-0 switching procedure, whilst Bill Hirt and John Vandenberg look on

  • Making it safely past the derail, an empty gon is spotted for Shaprio's scrap yard

    Making it safely past the derail, an empty gon is spotted for Shaprio's scrap yard

  • The conductor has diligently laced up the air hoses for the subsequent brake test

    The conductor has diligently laced up the air hoses for the subsequent brake test

  • An extra is spotting a load of cable at the Weingarten house track

    An extra is spotting a load of cable at the Weingarten house track

  • After receiving clearance into Middle Yard, train #92 rolls across the Main Street Overpass bridge in Ste. Genevieve

    After receiving clearance into Middle Yard, train #92 rolls across the Main Street Overpass bridge in Ste. Genevieve

  • GP9 switching at Peerless White Lime Co. in Mosher. Note that a recent tornado has demolished both roofs - the company has roofing crews on the wa

    GP9 switching at Peerless White Lime Co. in Mosher. Note that a recent tornado has demolished both roofs - the company has roofing crews on the wa

  • MoPac 4-8-0 #1817 rolls across the diamond; the Ste. Genevieve industrial area is in the background.

    MoPac 4-8-0 #1817 rolls across the diamond; the Ste. Genevieve industrial area is in the background.

  • MoPac Mastodon pulling a cut of cars up the Thomure incline

    MoPac Mastodon pulling a cut of cars up the Thomure incline